Darkest Before the Dawn

[BritPitbull]

Let us consider the Cleveland Browns for a moment.

In short, this is the worst franchise in sports. Exactly how bad? Well, their record on the field is unbelievably awful. In the 50 years since Superbowl I, the Browns have had 18 winning seasons, only four of these have come in the past 25 seasons they have played. Although the franchise is one of the oldest in existence (a charter member club founded in 1946) in 1996, then owner Art Modell moved his franchise to Baltimore as the Ravens, leaving all Cleveland Browns intellectual property in stasis until the 1999 season. At the time of the relocation, the Browns had one of the best rosters in the league and a head coach by the name of Bill Belichick, but that season's promise disappeared with the announcement of the move and the Browns lost six of their final seven games that year.

When a newly formed Browns re-entered the league as an "expansion team" in 1999 they promptly lost their first game 48-0 to bitter rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since this time, the franchise has been the whipping boys of the NFL with a record of 86 wins and 186 losses with only two winning seasons and one playoff game that ended in a Wildcard defeat to those dreaded Steelers.

However, the organisation is possibly even more inept off the field. Eight head coaches have taken charge in the past 17 years, none having any real measure of success. Despite perennially having one of the first picks in the draft the Browns have consistently failed to identify any star players and yet have signed huge 1st round busts such as Kellen Winslow Jr., Barkevious Mingo, Tim Couch, Jess Faine, Trent Richardson, Brady Quinn, Braylon Edwards, Gerard Warren, Brandon Weedon, Courtney Brown and Johnny Manziel. No wonder the Browns stadium is nicknamed the "Factory of Sadness" by the team's long-suffering fans.

Currently, the franchise is in possibly its worst state ever. 2016 saw the Browns have the second worst season by any team in the history of the game as they finished with a 1-15 record. They also have a truly awful roster full of below average players. So, taking on a Madden franchise as this team will be no easy ride but I'm going to give it a go.

Just to add to the challenge, I'll be playing on All-Madden mode and have established a few house rules which will prevent me from exploiting the CPU trade logic. In short, if I'm going to resurrect this ailing organisation I'll have to do something no other Browns coach in recent memory has been able to, i.e. build success through the draft.

Strap in kids, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

[BritPitbull]

Reserved for future

[BritPitbull]

LEAGUE SETTINGS
Skill Level: All-Madden
Speed: Normal
Trade Deadline / Coach Firing / Salary Cap / Injuries: On
Pre-existing injuries: Off
Practice Squad: Yes
Progression: Every 4 weeks
Quarters: 11 mins
Accel Clock: 20 secs
All User team help: Off

TEAM SETTINGS
Auto Flip: On
Ball Carrier Moves: Manual
Strafe: Off
Ball Hawk: On
Heat Seeker: On
Switch Assist: On

VISUAL
Play Call: Quick
Visual Feedback: Off
Drive / XP Goals: Off
Franchise Ticker: On
Gameplan Info: Off
Coaching Tips: Off
Pre-Snap Menu: On
Off Camera: Standard
Def Camera: Def Perspective

XP
QB 96%
HB 200%
TE 144%
WR 220%
FB 144%
T 224%
G 210%
C 240%

DE 120%
DT 210%
MLB 104%
OLB 200%
CB 176%
FS 120%
SS 100%

K 300%
P 300%

SLIDERS
Player and CPU
QB Accuracy 0
Pass Blocking 0
WR Catching 37
Run Blocking 100
Fumbles 60
Reaction Time 100
INTs 37
Pass Coverage 100
Tackling 100

Special Team
FG Power 50
FG Accuracy 40
Punt Power 50
Punt Accuracy 40
Kick-off Power 40

Options
Injuries 48
Fatigue 60
Threshold 50

Penalties
Offside 59
False Start 56
Holding 56
Def Holding 64
Facemask 52
Pass Interfere 64
Block in the back 51
Roughing Passer 50

HOUSE RULES

• Only one free agent signing allowed per week
• Only trades negotiated via the trade block are allowed
• Only coach suggested plays can be run in-game
• Pre-Season games are Play the Moment
• XP progression is automatically applied every 4 weeks

[BritPitbull]

As an owner, I want to see the team focus on a power run game. The reason for this is to take pressure of our QB and make a team that is viable without the necessity of paying a star QB $20m per year when this can be spent on an Offensive Line. Also, it will make us an all-weather team who can control the clock when we need to.

The defense will be a 3-4 with a big nose tackle as the focal point in front of two athletic inside Linebackers who are tackling machines and also good in coverage. My Cornerbacks will be strong and able to press and I want a Strong Safety who can play in the box and stuff the run or blitz when needed.

Current coach Hugh Jackson has a balanced offense and a 3-4 zone-blitz defense playbook. He is low rated (3) but is also cheap at $3.5m per year. His schemes are rather bizarrely West Coast and attacking 4-3 which makes no sense considering his playbooks. So, I'll change his schemes to Power Run and Base 3-4.

There's no-one better out there on the market right now so Hugh will have to do for now. But I do make a couple of changes by hiring a new scout Wes Yorke ($140k for 2 yrs) and trainer Dan Winters (lvl 30 at $100k for 2yrs).

Next let's take a look at our terrible roster:
 

Starting Roster
#	OFFENSE	POS	AGE	HT	WT	ROLE / XP
13	J. McCown (74)	QB	37	6,4	218	Balanced (n)
6	C. Kessler (r) (74)	QB	23	6,1	220	West Coast (n)
10	R. Griffin III (72)	QB	26	6,2	222	Mobile (s)
8	K. Hogan (r) (67)	QB	23	6,3	218	Balanced (n)
34	I. Crowell (82)	HB	23	5,11	225	One Cut (n)
29	D. Johnson (79)	HB	22	5,9	210	One Cut (n)
25	G. Atkinson III (66)	HB	23	6,1	218	Speed (n)
35	D. Jackson (r) (66)	HB	22	6,0	221	Balanced (n)
28	G. Winston (64)	HB	27	6,2	220	Power (n)
11	T. Pryor (83)	WR	27	6,4	233	Red Zone (s)
12	J. Gordon (80)	WR	25	6,3	225	Speed (n)
19	C. Coleman (r) (80)	WR	22	5,11	194	Speed (q)
16	A. Hawkins (75)	WR	30	5,7	180	Route Runner (n)
80	R. Louis (r) (66)	WR	22	6,1	215	Red Zone (n)
83	J. Boyce (64)	WR	25	5,11	205	Speed (n)
81	R. Higgins (r) (64)	WR	21	6,1	198	Balanced (n)
84	J. Payton (r) (61)	WR	23	6,1	216	Possession (n)
15	M. Alford (59)	WR	23	5,9	180	Speed (n)
82	G. Barnidge (84)	TE	30	6,6	250	Receiver (q)
87	S. Devalve (r) (68)	TE	23	6,4	245	Receiver (n)
40	D. Vitale (r) (66)	TE	22	6,2	225	Balanced (n)
86	R. Telfer (64)	TE	24	6,4	250	Balanced (n)
89	C. Hamlett (62)	TE	24	6,7	259	Balanced (n)
47	C. Hughlett (48)	TE	26	6,4	248	Blocking (s)
73	J. Thomas (95)	LT	31	6,6	312	Pass Blocker (ss)
75	J. Bitonio (82)	LG	24	6,4	305	Pass Blocker (q)
66	S. Drango (r) (73)	LG	23	6,6	320	Run Blocker (n)
74	C. Erving (73)	C	24	6,5	313	Balanced (n)
60	G. Ikard (68)	C	25	6,4	304	Balanced (n)
62	A. Reiter (66)	C	24	6,3	307	Balanced (n)
61	A. Fabiano (r) (64)	C	23	6,1	303	Balanced (n)
77	J. Greco (82)	RG	31	6,4	318	Run Blocker (n)
78	A. Bailey (75)	RG	25	6,3	320	Balanced (n)
67	A. Pasztor (80)	RT	25	6,7	308	Balanced (n)
72	S. Coleman (r) (68)	RT	24	6,6	313	Run Blocker (n)
#	DEFENSE	POS	AGE	HT	WT	ROLE / XP
92	D. Bryant (78)	LE	30	6,6	310	3-4 Run Stopper (n)
96	X. Cooper (70)	LE	24	6,4	300	3-4 Versatile (n)
98	J. Meder (70)	LE	25	6,3	308	Balanced 4-3 (n)
99	S. Paea (74)	RE	28	6,1	310	3-4 Run Stopper (n)
90	E. Ogbah (r) (74)	RE	22	6,4	273	Balanced 4-3 (n)
97	G. Wright (68)	RE	23	6,3	305	Balanced 4-3 (n)
55	D. Shelton (83)	DT	23	6,2	335	Run Stopper (q)
51	J. Collins (86)	LOLB	26	6,3	250	Balanced OLB (ss)
94	C. Nassib (r) (68)	LOLB	23	6,6	277	Balanced OLB (n)
58	C. Kirksey (84)	MLB	24	6,2	235	Balanced MLB (n)
56	D. Davis (75)	MLB	27	6,2	248	Prototype MLB (n)
59	T. Carder (68)	MLB	27	6,2	235	Run Stopper MLB (n)
54	D. Alexander (r) (59)	MLB	23	6,0	232	Balanced MLB (n)
52	J. Burgess (r) (57)	MLB	22	6,0	231	3-4 Tackler MLB (n)
57	C. Johnson (72)	ROLB	26	6,3	260	3-4 Pass Rusher (n)
44	N. Orchard (70)	ROLB	23	6,3	255	3-4 Pass Rusher (n)
53	J. Schobert (r) (70)	ROLB	22	6,1	244	Balanced ROLB (n)
91	T. Holmes (r) (67)	ROLB	22	6,4	250	Balanced ROLB (n)
21	J. Taylor (79)	CB	25	5,10	195	Zone (n)
23	J. Haden (79)	CB	27	5,11	195	Man to Man (q)
23	B. Boddy-Calhoun (r) (70)	CB	23	5,9	193	Balanced (n)
26	M. Burley (68)	CB	26	5,11	185	Balanced (n)
41	T. Howard (r) (62)	CB	22	5,10	185	Balanced (n)
31	T. Caldwell (r) (60)	CB	22	5,9	186	Zone (n)
32	D. Hillary (r) (57)	CB	23	5,11	183	Man to Man (n)
22	T. Williams (76)	FS	33	6,0	192	Balanced (n)
39	E. Reynolds (71)	FS	24	6,1	207	Playmaker (n)
33	J. Poyer (71)	FS	25	6,0	191	Playmaker (n)
24	I. Campbell (69)	SS	24	5,11	208	Run Stopper (n)
30	D. Kindred (69)	SS	22	5,10	207	Balanced (n)
37	T. Elston (r) (59)	SS	22	5,11	176	Balanced (n)
#	SPECIAL TEAMS	POS	AGE	HT	WT	ROLE / XP
3	C. Parkey (71)	K	24	6,0	193	Clutch (n)
4	B. Colquitt (73)	P	31	6,3	205	Clutch (n)

[BritPitbull]

As we can see, the roster is very unbalanced. We have 4 QBs, 9 WRs, 6 TEs, 4 Centres but no Fullback and only 1 LT and 1 DT. My scheme benefits from the following type of personnel:

QB - Balanced
HB - Balanced
FB - Blocking
WR - Speed / Balanced / Balanced
TE - Receiver
LT - Pass Blocker
LG - Balanced
C - Balanced
RG - Run Blocker
RT - Run Blocker
DE - 3-4 Run Stopper
DT - Nose Tackle
OLB - 3-4 Pass Rusher
MLB - 3-4 Tackler
CB - Man to Man
FS - Playmaker
SS - Run Support

So from our current roster, the only people worth keeping are: Crowell, Gordon, Coleman, Barnidge, Thomas, Bitonio, Greco, Shelton, Collins, Kirksey - everyone else is totally expendable.

However, the team will incur large release penalties if we release the following:
Haden $10.6m
Griffin $3.5m
Erving $3.3m
Taylor $3.0m
Ogbah $3.0m
Bryant $2.0m
Davis $2.0m
Hawkins $1.5m
McCown $1.32m
Orchard $1.2m
Williams $1.0m
Bailey $990k
Nassib $880k

All of the above have at least 2 years left on their contracts as well. Luckily, we have $64m of cap space so we can afford to throw some money away or carry dead weight and still improve the team.

I don't ever want anyone lower than level 60 on the roster, so the first move is to cut Hughlett, Hillary, Burgess, Alford, Elston, Alexander, Caldwell, none of whom cost any penalty to get rid of. I've also added everyone who is above 70 and not someone I want to keep to the Trade Block.

Looking at the trade block, there is very little out there. My first trade is for N. Robey-Coleman (CB 76) from the Bills and a 2017 3rd rd pick and 5th rd pick in exchange for J. Taylor (CB 79) and a 2018 3rd rd pick. He's not great but is a man-to-man corner and fits the scheme better and it improves my draft this year.

I also noticed that Kemal Ishmael of ATL is on the block. He is only rated 76 but is a run support strong safety and still quite young. He also has the strip ball skill. Offering A Bailey (RG 75) and T Williams (FS 76) was enough to bring him to Cleveland.

I noticed that young Panthers OLB A.J Klein (LOLB 74) was good at run stopping and coverage and had Bullrush and Strip Ball skills. So, I traded him in a straight swap for D. Davis (MLB 75) and converted him to a MLB.

I also traded for Tre Mason (HB 79) for Atkinson (HB 66) and Hawkins (WR 75) as he is young and has Cover Ball and Fights for Yards skills

I spotted that two young Cowboys were on the trade block who were average but could improve, Wilson (LOLB 76) and Wilcox (SS 83) and I took them and a 2018 3rd rd pick in exchange for Reynolds (FS 71), Ogbah (RE 74) and a 2017 3rd rd pick. I then turned Ishmael into a FS.

My one free agent signing of the week is Bruce Miller (FB 75) for $1.10m

Lastly, I change Meder to a NT for roster spot reasons and I'm nearly ready for the first week of the pre-season.

[BritPitbull]

Week 1: Browns 10 - 31 Packers

In week 1, the Press asked whether, as a fan, I might be too emotional. I responded by saying that if the team is winning, no-one is going to care how I run it (+10% popularity per winning season / -15% per losing season)

Trades

I accepted an offer from the Bills of a 2018 2nd rd pick, 2017 and 2018 5th rd picks for Terrelle Pryor

Also, an offer from Carolina of 2017 2nd rd and 2018 7th rd picks for Joe Haden

I trade for C. Johnson (WR 73) from the Vikings for Winston (HB 64), DeValve (TE 68) and a 2017 5th Rd Pick

Week 2: Falcons 20 - 3 Browns

Accepted an offer for Pasztor from Seattle of 2018 2nd rd pick, 2017 5th and 7th rd picks.

Week 3: Browns 31 - 28 Buccaneers

Signed Free Agent Reese Dismukes (RG 70) for $1.58m

Players Cut: D. Jackson, Higgins, Telfer, Hamlett, Reiter, Carder, Campbell

Week 4: Bears 28 - 21 Browns

Traded for Vollmer (RT 80) for Vitale, Ikard and Orchard

Players signed via practice squad:
C. Hackenberg (r) (QB 65)
TJ Green (r) (FS 68) $700k
D. Johnson (r) (FB 64) $500k
R. Aguayo (r) (K 71) $500k
J. Perry (r) (MLB 68) $1.2m
A. Balducci (r) C 64) $570k
B. Williams (r) CB) $1.90m

Players Cut: Hogan, Payton

[BritPitbull]

Reserved for team finances

[BritPitbull]

We go into the season with 19 rookies and a terribly weak squad of players. This is particularly worrying on the defense where there is little in the way of experience or quality. The QB job is up for grabs with any one of the four on the roster possible to become the established signal caller.

Cleveland Browns Depth Chart - 1
Regular Offense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
WR	Gordon (80)	C. Johnson (71)	Boyce (66)
TE	Barnidge (84)	Swaim (72)
LT	Thomas (95)	Vollmer (80)
LG	Britonio (82)	Drango (73)
C	Erving (73)	Fabiano (64) (r)	Balducci (66) (r)
RG	Drango (73) (r)	Dismukes (66) (r)
RT	Greco (83)	Vollmer (80)	Coleman (68) (r)
WR	Coleman (80) (r)	Louis (66) (r)
QB	McCown (74)	Kessler (74) (r)	Griffin III (72)	Hackenberg (65) (r)
FB	Miller (75)	Johnson (64) (r)
HB	Crowell (82)	Mason (79)	Johnson Jr. (79)
Base 3-4 Defense
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
LDE	Bryant (78)	Cooper (72)
NT	Shelton (85)	Meder (74)
RDE	Paea (74)	Cooper (72)	Wright (68)
LOLB	Collins (86)	Wilson (76)	Nassib (72) (r)
LILB	Kirksey (84)	Perry (68) (r)
RILB	Klein (73)	Wilson (73)
ROLB	Johnson (72)	Schobert (70) (r)	Homes (68) (r)
CB	Robey-Coleman (76)	Williams (70) (r)	Howard (62) (r)
SS	Ishmael (75)	Green (68) (r)	Poyer (71)
FS	Wilcox (83)	Kindred (69) (r)
CB	Boddy-Calhoun (70) (r)	Burley (68)
Special Teams
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	4TH
K	Parkey (72)	Aguayo (71) (r)
P	Colquitt (73)
PR	Mason (86)	Green (84) (r)
KR	Green (87) (r)	Mason (87)
LS	Bitonio (81)